Arsene Wenger is now officially at war with the FA and the Referees Association. The Arsenal boss has now been tasked by the FA with explaining his new comments after the Chelsea game, when he complained that Anthony Taylor gave Eden Hazard a penalty and accused the referees of carrying out a vendetta against Arsenal.
He was asked this morning about the new charges and he admitted he had been asked, and then went on to declare that Hazard should have been booked for diving instead. “First of all, yes I’ve been asked,” he stated. “I maintain what I said in the press conference, 100 per cent. I have nothing to change in that. Nothing has changed. I’ve been in England for 21 years and I’ve tried to serve this game with honesty, integrity and when I have something to say, I say it. On that front, nothing will change. Never.
“I respect everybody’s opinion but I think it was a yellow card for Hazard, 100 per cent. I have a right to have my opinion, and I respect everybody’s opinion.”
Asked to clarify whether he still felt the decision was ‘farcical’ as he had said after the game, and he replied: “100%”.
Wenger has already maintained that he will defend his charges relating to the penalty that Mike Dean gave to West Brom on New Years Eve, and it would seem that he is going to stick to his guns on this one as well, even though it is not quite so clearcut as the handball given against Calum Chambers. He said about Mike Dean: “He saw what he wanted to see and we have to deal with that.”
He also said that Arsenal always seemed to be treated harshly on a regular basis. when he said: “When opinions always go the same way it’s coincidence. Statistically it’s built on the fact that when it’s repeated it’s not coincidence.”
There were also many pundits watching the Chelsea game alleging that Jack Wilshere should also have been booked for diving during the match, but Wenger declared that to be irrelevant. “Yes, maybe he did but why should that change my opinion on the penalty? It’s got nothing to do with it.
“Every situation is different and has to be assessed by the referee. After that, you have your opinion and I have mine. I’ve been in the game long enough to know that everybody can have a different opinion.”
It is certainly true that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but is he right to say that the referees have a conspiracy against Arsenal specifically, when Taylor allowed a similar allegation against Wilshere to go unpunished?
It is a very difficult moral issue. What do you think?
Admin
Arsene’s losing it. Get out of my club, please.
Wenger will selfdestruct!
He was free to leave as as a gentleman after FA Cup win! but he didn’t. He loves his job too much, by the point its not healthy any more.
If he doesn’t speak he’ll be accused of having no balls, now he is sticking his neck out for an opinion that majority of us share, that Hazard play acted, now someone is asking him to get out of ‘his’ club for that. Blind hatred. Hypocrites
Change of manager and a new owner would be helpful to this great club of ours.
Fk Wenger, the FA and Referee Associated.
Get a new manager, new refs, new FA and all new Arsenal players.
Get some new supporters while we at it and get rid of the AKBs while we at it.
And should we get rid of negative supporters like you as well, if you even are an Arsenal supporter!
Rather a Fascist type comment, esp coming from an Admin, who one might well think would encourage ALL sides of debate. At least Mr Admin , your OWN views are now clearly revealed and forewarned is forearmed. I wonder now whether you are fit to be a proper Administrator and your own prejudices might well now make some find another, more fairly run, fan forum instead. A great shame!
Is there anyone you do like?
Admin so you don’t encourage fans on this site to give opinions if it differs to yours?
Had I said aobs then it would be fine?
Admin, These comments are ironic after what you said yesterday. Thank you for proving what I said correct.
Conspiracy?
No, but Arsenal have had the most of unfavorable decisions among the top 6 for a long time now, although NOT every season. Not at all.
Perhaps that old English complex towards the French still present among the referees? And many Northerners don’t like clubs from the South.
I feel the bigger problem is the low footballing IQ of many of our defenders over the years. Even here, Chambers could have held his arms behind his back when the pass comes, and Bellerin just lunged against Hazard, hoping it would work out.
Too many thoughtless challenges.
Anyone think it was strange how Gibbs just lofted the ball into his body.
It’s normal for defenders to make a defensive gesture when a player is in shooting position, not many will put arms behind back when a shot is on and they are close to it. Terry was very clever with his arms, he’d rush in close enough to use his arms and body so ball cannot pass and he is close enough for it to be accidental even though it’s intentional and worked on. If Chambers was further back and the ball struck his hand I’d agree with you, but the fact is it’s hand to ball no matter how his arms are placed, just ask Terry.
Arsene might not be the best manger in the world but truth be told. Hazard cheated. It was not a penalty and Mike Dean made a mistake. Even if I am the poorest man in the world I will still say the truth. As to the management of Arsenal FC nothing has changed. Buy cheap players, miss it with little quality players and make massive profits. He is not likely going anywhere. And by the way did anyone hear he said we are not buying Aubameyyang???
this guy is making steve bannon look positively rationale … wtf is he doing still managing arsenal surely someone can certify the man and cart him off in a paded wagon on grounds of his own and the club`s sanity
Actually its the AOB’s who should fk off with their endless moaning. The negativity is quite depressing for those of us who love life.
john rambo has spoken guys
youve seen what he can do
i dont want no problems john..you’ve ‘seen things man’
No comment Mr Admin?
Or do you agree?
Either way the standards of refereeing in England are very shocking and theres no sign of any action towards improving them. Whatever happened to the Mike Dean petition?
Dean focked us, that’s what happened.
Nowdays i’ve grown too old n fat to cause anyone problems muff. I just get plastered n talk real loud.
lool
i look forward to that in my old age
Well he did go down like he’d been shot!!!
The only solution for the referee’s unfair and wrong decision against our lovely club is to strengthen our squad quality specially in the defensive areas and be ruthless in front of the goal just like the current Man city team. We should close all the gaps as much as possible. Mike dean might not allowed that penalty if chambers could have avoided it by any possible means as it was not that much a danger ball.
At last a body of people Wegner has to answer to ,and even though he makes a number of good points regarding the overall standard of officiating in the premier league,every team in this league has the same problem with referees,but the fact remains ,wenger and Wegner alone is responsible for the failings of the team,so if he loves the club the way he says he does ,he would take a good look at himself and accept what most of us have known for a long time and that is,he can no longer do the job needed to make AFC great and so the longer he stays the worse it gets.Wegner out.
I dont remember wengermoaning when referees won us the fa cup and community shield
Hey people, anybody knows rugby rules? They are so precise and clear, and everybody are playing by them and respect them. Why FIFA can not write more clear rules? They dnt want to. Why? Many reasons, but ones who are against it most are the fraking refa who are also against VR. I think that with VR Mike Moron Dean wouldnt last longer then half a season.
How many times have I got to say it, these problems with referees go back long before Mike Dean. It started with Wenger’s run in’s with Mike Riley when he was a referee, and now that his top man at PGMOL, the body that appoints and is in charge of all referees, they give our club a hard time. These bad decisions have been going on for years and what do other fans think, it’s a coincidence that it keeps happening to us. Listen , I’ve wanted the Manager out since 2007, partly for the reason that while Wenger’s in charge we’ll keep getting these bad decisions but that still doesn’t alter the fact that we’re being cheated more or less every week. Yes, people can say what they wan’t but it’s a conspiracy.
You’re a great and real fan Kenny. But we are on opposite sides in this conspiracy theory. Bad, even dreadful refs, no argument . But crooked refs, sorry, I don’t buy that one. Funny how Wenger never rmoans when we get decisions in our favour. In toidays Daily Mirror, they list six where bad calls went in our favour, several in recent games against Burnley, Mustafi’s offside goal against Spuds. From Wenger, no moans then. Funny that , eh? That old deflection tactic from his own inability to organise or set up defence lives again.
I know were opposite on this one Jon but I respect your position and the fact you don’t change your mind, your also like myself a long time genuine football fan with lot to offer this site. Please carry on with the great stories.
Thanks KENNY. There is little point in having strong opoinions but not seeing them through. That is what people desperate for “likes” , as liitle kids do and it makes me puke at the “change like the weather brigade”. Everyone knows where I stand on Wenger, Kroenke, Walcott and a host of other topics. I don’;t know whether you saw the thread yesterday when a supporter since 1952, name of KEN , said I was not a real fan because I wanted Wenger out which needless to say he worshipped Wenger “and all he had done for us”. This Ken actually said that back in the sixties we had crowds of 17000 against Blackpool and others(which is true as we both know) but that Wenger had worked wonders and now the stadium is always full . I reminded him that the PREM is largely full across all clubs and that if he wanted a TRUE comparison he should go back to where we were just ten years ago and forget 50 years ago, when life and football was completely different everywhere. HE CLEARLY PREFERS LIVING IN THE PAST AND HAS LITTLE AMBITION TO REACH THE VERY TOP. In fact , just the type of faintheart who Kroenke and Wenger loves and who keeps us as also rans by accepting mediocrity. Rather like being glad we now have electricity which a hundred and fifty years ago we did not and being satisfied with just that. I call him Stone Age man.
Wenger is encouraging defenders to make penalties because he wants Cech to defend his first penalty kick in the Arsenal shirt.
Not one English referee appointed to the World Cup, I think that say’s it all. Surely that’s detrimental to the standard of refereeing in the Premier League and must reflect on referees chief Mike Riley
Standard ? Or integrity? Which?The first I like(that they are mostly rubbish) , the second, no way!
Jon, I thought that would make you happy, no mention of integrity, just the standard, I thought we agreed on that, still reflects on Riley’s position
On standard , we sure do. Riley was pants as a ref and is doing a bad job as refs chief. As for Dean, i just think he is too incompetant to ever cheat. HE WOULD NOT KNOW HOW. Just like he knows little else about reffing and the actual game, rather than merely the smugly titled “laws”. ORDINARY PEOPLE WOULD CALL THEM RULES, AS RULES IS WHAT THEY ARE. If they were actually true “laws” they would be made in Parliament. But it makes the “suits and blazers” feel important.